Star Shaped Fruit
It was twilight, or what felt like twilight. The warm summer air clung to us long after the sun had said its goodbye, and the lanterns and bonfire set us aglow in a flittering caress. It clung to the many bodies, drenching them in summer, set their eyes ablaze with never-ending youth that would last a single moment, and a lifetime. The sweeping shadows hidden in Riku's hair danced in and out of the lambent ambiance as he weaved between the legs of the adults. Sora followed him, all energy and no grace, his hair sticking up in all directions, untamable and wild. But there was a kind of gentleness to his clumsy stumbling, a magesty to the lights in his eyes, a kindness in the smile he reserved for noone.
I was unsure then, of these boys whom I did not know, of this world so unfamiliar. Their customs seemed strange to me, even though I would grow to love them all in time, or no time at all. This festival, one that I had not caught the name of, was held on the last day of summer, and seemingly centered around a fruit that grew here, shaped like a star. But, it was all so unusual to me, so different, though to what I didnt know, that I couldnt help but cling to my shaperone's hand. The Mayor and his wife, whom had taken me in, were terribly nice people, so much so that I felt a little guilty, that I couldnt understand or enjoy their ways.
I squeezed her hand, so soft and warm, and I watched the people around the bonfire, rather than the children I was too scared to speak to. I watched as friends, teenagers and older children, exchanged charms, made of shells. Like so many things that night, they were shaped like stars, and probably held some kind of symbolic meaning that I could not comprehend. I recognised the shells themselves, I had found some at the beach already, and I wondered how they worked them into the charms they gave each other. Among these hopeful teenagers, for hopeful they were, they resonated with dreams and ideals and were draped in bright futures, I could see it, I could see it in every inch of them, in the way they stood, they way they laughed, the way their eyes lit up. And among them, were young couples, many just married or engaged and some simply eager. The couples would have one of the star-shaped fruits, Paopu fruit I would eventually remember, between them. And they woud break the fruit in two pieces and feed it to each other. I wondered what it tasted like, if it was sweet and juicy, or dry and sour. I doubted an entire festival would be organised in honour of sour fruit, so the former seemed more likely.
I did not understand these people, or their culture, and yet I knew that it made them happy. For, at least today, I had not seen a single frown. Even the old woman, who often complained of their many aches and ills wether you were listening or not, were laughing and smiling and a few were even dancing, Yet I stood, calm but confused. More timid than I am now.
Sora and Riku tumbled out of the crowd towards me, laughing, and knocked me down. I think they expected me to cry, I know the Mayors wife did, for there was much fussing and appologizing and promising not to rough-house so close to people. But, I simply stared up at them. Their eyes, deep blue oceans and aquamarine reefs, they drew me in. I dont think I had ever seen such truth, than I had in their concerned eyes.
Eventually, Riku extended a hand to me, and I took it, pulling myself up. I still had his hand when he glanced at Sora, a wry grin gracing his oval face. And all of a sudden, Sora had my other hand and we were running, diving into the crowd and skirting around the bonfire, it blazed and flared and crackled at its wooden meal. It chased my vision and trailed behind us, and I swore we were on fire, that we were made of embers and ash, it wasn't just light that glazed over us, it was us, aflame and alive. We were the twilight we made of ourselves.